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You also get a serial cable and shorting plug needed for firmwware update from a PC , A parafocal locking ring and 1.25" EP Extension

End of part one....

Edited by Psychobilly, 20 May 2010 - 04:34 PM.

tingting44 and mikeneitzel like this

We choose to image with DSLR’s. We choose to image with DSLR’s in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

If i don't get clear skies in the next few days I'll get SGE setup to give it a workout...

End of Part two ...

Edited by Psychobilly, 21 May 2010 - 08:31 AM.

tingting44 likes this

We choose to image with DSLR’s. We choose to image with DSLR’s in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

Psychobilly

Posted 20 May 2010 - 09:46 PM

Ok skies are marginal - not great for imaging and work in the morning so decided to do a quick test just using the Synguider on my old Equinoxe 66 on the mount.

I had deliberately misaligned the mount in both axes and skipped the alignment in the handset... so there was no "sky model" beign used to control the mount..

I then manually enabled Sidereal Rate Tracking and slewed around to Arcturus - I know not exactly the most challenging guidestar...

Seeing as I didnt have a finder setup I started with a 40mm EP to find Arcturus then changed to a cheapo 8-24mm zoom that enabled me to check that the star would be on the guide chip...

I managed to get the guider to lock without resorting to the manual and left it tracking for 30 mins.. when i went back it was still centered on the chip...

Arcturus was being smeared by contrails but was still saturating the CCD... but I wanted a satr that would "survive" being hidden by cloud...

Hopefully I will get the skies over the weekend to do some proper trials with it...

Peter...

End of Part 3....

To be continued....

Edited by Psychobilly, 21 May 2010 - 08:38 AM.

We choose to image with DSLR’s. We choose to image with DSLR’s in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

barkis

Posted 20 May 2010 - 10:14 PM

barkis

Supernova

Global Mods

26,199 posts

Location:Cumbria

A good insight into what to expect on emptying the box Peter.
How come you got one so quickly, or do you have it for a trial period only? One of these does appeal to me, but I will decide once there is some Info.. on performance.
Thanks for this so far.
Ron.

Psychobilly

Posted 21 May 2010 - 08:30 AM

Hopefully I will have the skies to do some proper testing with it over the weekend...
and will add more pics and results to this thread...

Peter..

We choose to image with DSLR’s. We choose to image with DSLR’s in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

Psychobilly

Posted 21 May 2010 - 09:25 AM

Using it last night without refering to or having properly read the Manual there were some "funnies"... so i am genning up today as well... These were mainly to do with where the star needed to be on the screen for it to lock - At one point the star was under the text but then the guider would not lock onto it it's almost as if the guider works on a ROI around the center of the chip...which might be why they tell you to get it close to the center...

I will RTFM and find out...

I will keep popping back to the first few posts and editing them that way the review will stay together in one place...

Ron...

I am hoping to try it guiding the CPC800 with the guider on the 8" at PF and with the OAG, the Mergez 72 at PF and The 500mm f8 Teleguider and on the EQ3 Pro with the 60-200 f3.6 Teleguider... but that may take a while ...

I guess it will depend on how fussy it is with star shapes on the OAG...

Peter...

Edited by Psychobilly, 21 May 2010 - 09:28 AM.

We choose to image with DSLR’s. We choose to image with DSLR’s in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

Psychobilly

Posted 21 May 2010 - 09:44 AM

Worse still lets sure the OAG plays ball.... the TS is a PITA to setup but fine when it is... Ask Steve-L et al about this...

Peter....

We choose to image with DSLR’s. We choose to image with DSLR’s in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

Psychobilly

Posted 21 May 2010 - 11:37 AM

Dont worry - It's only the focusing that a PITA made easier if you replace the standard screws with solder tipped grub screws.. PM me your postal addy and I'll send you some...

Peter..

We choose to image with DSLR’s. We choose to image with DSLR’s in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

Posted 21 May 2010 - 12:05 PM

Deneb

Posted 22 May 2010 - 06:55 AM

Deneb

Banned User

Beyond The Event Horizon

3,311 posts

Location:North London

Thanks for the insight into the guider Peter, im just thinking maybe it might have been better if they included a Cigarette lighter power lead with it as well. Looking at the .pdf posted I haven't noticed anywhere that Skywatcher has given any indication of how long you could power the guider with batteries.

Psychobilly

Posted 22 May 2010 - 07:50 AM

They recommend running off lower voltage they state 6-12v and recommend the lower end... i guess the internals are running (maybe 3.3V) so at 250 mA and a 12V supply depending on how they drop it thats about 1.5W of heat to get rid of .. and heat is the enemy for low noise in the sensors...

You could easily put a voltage regulator in a cigarette adaptor or a small in-line box...

Seeing as I have several thousand of those regulated battery units and pouches hanging around complete with the matching chargers they are the obvious solution for me...

Peter..

Edited by Psychobilly, 22 May 2010 - 08:00 AM.

We choose to image with DSLR’s. We choose to image with DSLR’s in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.

Psychobilly

Posted 22 May 2010 - 01:05 PM

Isn't it typical.. weather forecast isn't brilliant until Sun.,Mon Tues nights and then is marginal... and this time of year you cant start doign anyhting useful until around 23:00 or later and Lunas looming larger every night

Dont think I'll be doing much testing with the guider on fainter stars then

Peter...

We choose to image with DSLR’s. We choose to image with DSLR’s in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.